


I'll stand by you.

by tinypeckers



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-28
Updated: 2014-04-28
Packaged: 2018-01-21 04:34:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1537751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinypeckers/pseuds/tinypeckers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>really sad but cute but yeah know still makes a person cry fanfic about joelay (Joel doesn't understand why Ray hasn't been talking to him lately.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll stand by you.

**Author's Note:**

> Part of Ambitious April - send me prompts.

"Don't you think the roses look nice today, Joel?" Ray asks as he plants some more, fingers patting the soil around their stems. He's met with silence but Joel nods from where he's watching just a little ways away, admiring the view. Ray's bent over, his back to Joel as he hums a cheery tune. Ray stands, stretching his arms and his back as he basks in the Texan sun. He looks glumly down at his roses and all the other flowers amongst them.  
"I've really gotten behind with this garden, huh?" Ray murmurs to himself and Joel wants to tell him that its okay, they're just flowers but he knows that they were words not meant for his ears. Ray shrugs the sad thought away by himself, smiling down at his own little victory garden. "They're still lovely, though." He admits as he opens the gate and passes Joel on his way into the house. Joel follows him, watching as Ray pours himself a drink. "All that hard work makes me thirsty." Ray admits aloud before he tips the glass up and swallows.

  
When his glass is finished, Ray gently places it into the sink so it does not shatter. Its his favourite glass, the one that Joel gave him as a gift for their first christmas together. Its decorated in ornate roses and Ray wouldn't know how to react if he'd broken it. Ray runs his fingers along the counter to Joel's own glass, smiling as its surface reflects the sun that shines through the window. Ray had bought it as a joke, fingers running over the gold covered rim that had pushed him to buy it in the first place. His fingers fall from it and Joel perks up when Ray addresses him.  
"Well, I guess its time for a shower. Our favourite activity." Ray murmurs, a small smile gracing his lips as he recalls other times spent inside of their tiny shower. Joel smiles too, following Ray with the memories floating within his brain. Ray takes the stairs two at a time, eager to clean himself after spending the entire morning outside and working hard at his garden. Joel is a little frustrated when the door closes before he can reach it but Ray is oblivious to his frustration.

  
When Ray steps out from the shower he smells like Joel, having squeezed the last of Joel's favourite shower gel from the bottle. He sighs as he throws it away, Ray thinks about how he'd have to buy more. He walks to their bedroom in just a towel, rummaging through the drawers to find a shirt to wear. His fingers find the shirt Joel had bought him just months ago and he pulls it out with a smile, dropping it to the bed with the shorts he'd picked out minutes before. Despite the heat, he looks through Joel's clothes for a jacket to wear. He can't help himself, Ray can't get enough of the smell of Joel. Joel doesn't mind, though, Ray looks adorable in his clothes and it brings a smile to his boy's face and that is all that matters. Once Ray is dressed he checks himself once in the mirror and even Joel admires the view. Ray picks at the jacket, fussing about how it doesn't fit right and how it looks wrong on him unlike how it fits Joel. Joel shakes his head, Ray is just being silly. Joel thinks he looks perfect.

  
Before he leaves the house, Ray visits his garden once more. He picks out a rose for himself and a lily for Joel, despite how he constantly says its a pathetic excuse for a flower. Joel had asked that he'd planted them and while Ray had initially refused, he'd changed his mind fairly quickly. Ray cradles them close to his chest as he leaves, locking the door and sighing as he passes strangers in the streets. Joel follows him closely humming a song he'd heard on the radio under his breath. Ray joins in, their hums accompanied by the sound of footsteps as they walk. Joel was confused at first when Ray didn't ask Joel to drive but then, as he looked up the sky and saw how beautiful it looked, Joel realised he preferred it this way. Joel hasn't a clue where they're going but he'd follow Ray to the ends of the earth if he was asked to. Joel really loves Ray and he knows that the younger man really loves him too. Joel thinks of how perfectly their lives entwined and as he daydreams he doesn't pay attention to where they've ended up.

  
Its only when Ray starts to talk to him that Joel is alert again. He frowns as he looks around his surroundings. A graveyard? Joel was pretty sure none of Ray's family were buried in Texas.  
"Hey, Joel. Its been a while, huh?" Ray murmurs quietly to himself and Joel squints at the grave he's crouched in front of. A lump forms in his throat as he starts to understand. Joel Heyman. His name. Its engraved in block letters across the fairly shiny grave and Joel is suddenly reminded of a few weeks ago where he'd accidentally run a red light because he'd been excited to see Ray. He'd thought he'd been okay. Joel assumed he survived. But it made sense. Ray didn't really listen to him any more. Sure, he talked to Joel almost constantly but Joel had never questioned why he didn't take notice when Joel replied. Joel didn't wonder why Ray hadn't let him in the shower. Joel never asked himself these questions until now. Joel chewed his lip as he watched Ray place the flowers gently on the grave. His grave. He could do nothing but stare as Ray started to sob, muffling the sounds with his hand. Joel wanted to help. Joel wanted to hold him. Joel needed to cradle Ray close and tell him that he was right there. But he couldn't. Joel could only watch his boyfriend crumble.

  
Ray stayed at the grave for a long time. Joel stayed and watched over him. With a heavy heart, Ray stood and said goodbye to the grave that he'd long accepted as Joel. Joel remainded stoic as he watched Ray turn and leave. For a moment, he debated staying. Watching Ray carry on with his life with his newfound knowledge would probably hurt him a lot. But Joel figured that he'd already died so how much damage could it do? There was one thing Joel was certain on though. He was going to watch Ray. He was going to protect Ray. Just like he had when he'd been alive.


End file.
